VOLLEYBALL: Artus chosen as Player of the Year as All-Liberty League volleyball teams are announced
2011 Liberty League Volleyball Awards
Player of the Year: Sara Artus, Sr., Outside Hitter, Clarkson University
Clarkson University senior outside hitter Sara Artus was selected as the Liberty League Player of the Year. A three-time First Team All-Liberty League selection, Artus holds nearly every mark for hitters in the Clarkson record book, having recorded over 400 kills for the third straight year en route to 1,653 in her career. She ranks second in the conference in kills per set (3.72 per set) with a .244 hitting percentage, and was even better in conference matches this year, hitting .309 with a nearly identical kills per set rate (3.70 per set). Artus has also struck for 31 aces and 44 blocks while delivering 26 assists and adding in 250 digs.
Rookie of the Year: Adrienne Walker, Fr., Middle Hitter, Clarkson University
Clarkson University freshman middle hitter Adrienne Walker was chosen as a Liberty League Second-Team all-star and was Clarkson's third Liberty League Rookie of the Year in the past four seasons, joining Durio (2010) and Megan Mahon (Irvine, CA -- 2008). Walker was injured for approximately a quarter of the season, but made her presence felt when she was on the court, averaging 2.48 kills per set (216 total). She ranks highly among the conference leaders in hitting percentage and kills per set, also adding in 43 total blocks and 19 aces.
Coaching Staff of the Year: Hilda Arrechea, Jerry Rodriguez, Jeff Beachy, Skidmore College
Skidmore head coach Hilda Arrechea and her assistants Jerry Rodriguez and Jeff Beachy were selected as the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year for the seventh time. Picked to finish in a tie for fourth in a preseason coaches' poll, the Thoroughbreds went 25-8 overall and 9-3 in league play, finishing second. Skidmore opened league play at 3-3 before winning six straight matches, including a 3-1 win over league-leading Clarkson.
FIRST TEAM
Sara Artus, Clarkson
Amy Bavosa, Vassar
Lani Durio, Clarkson
Chloe McGuire, Vassar
Nyasha Miller, St. Lawrence
Eve Richards, Union
Kelley Vershbow, Skidmore
SECOND TEAM
Samantha Friedman, Skidmore
Liz Grogan, St. Lawrence
Marta Johan, St. Lawrence
Rebecca Moore, RIT
Corinne Palmer, Skidmore
Casey Tepper, Union
Adrienne Walker, Clarkson
HONORABLE MENTION
Carolyn Bottelier (Skidmore), Erika Chin (Clarkson), Hillary Koenigs (Vassar),
Cat Sullivan (RIT), Marissa Vollmer (Union), Christina Worth (RIT).